Navigating the waterdays: canals for night and day
Can we unlock the potential of our waterways and still protect their heritage and ecology? Find out how architects, developers, designers and conservationists can and are regenerating canal areas to bring economic, social and environmental benefits.
Speakers include:
- (2:18) Marcus Chaloner, national design team manager at the Canal & River Trust
- (11:24) Henry Kennedy-Skipton, head of regeneration at Ealing Council
- (24:00) Serena Horgan, senior regeneration manager, Catalyst Housing
- (31:40) Effie Kuan, design partner at Farrells and member of the team that developed the myKanaal concept
Background:
The 200-year-old canal system offers some of the most complex development opportunities in the UK. Home to established communities and diverse wildlife, canals also serve as a major network of multi-functional infrastructure.
A flourishing canal system offers economic, social and environmental benefits. However, many sections of the UK’s canal system are currently underperforming. Limited public access, neglected maintenance and concerns about anti-social behaviour all lead to low footfall. Even the most vibrant spaces during the day are deserted at night and many communities are unable to reap the rewards available from a thriving canal life.
Canals have obvious appeal to developers for their historic building stock, easy connections to city centres and waterside views. Regeneration of run-down waterways requires a cooperative approach from policy makers, designers, conservationists and developers.
Curating night culture
This event brings together architects, sound experts, and trailblazers of the art world to discuss the need for new cultural night spaces and how they can, and are, being created in London and beyond. This discussion takes a step further than the conventional notion of night culture as restricted to clubs and bars, to encompass new cultural experiences facilitated by the city at night.
Speakers include:
- (2:06) Dipa Joshi, director of Assael Architecture and advocate for the Mayor of London's 'Good Growth Design Programme’
- (15:31) John McRae, equity director of Orms
- (33:35) Carl Turner, founding director of Carl Turner Architects
- (47:50) Rollo Maschietto, working across Sound Diplomacy’s consulting for the Mayor of London
- (56:15) Philippine Nguyen, founder of Art Night
Background:
The closure of Fabric last year led to a cry of public outrage at London’s dwindling nightlife. It has been estimated that London has lost 50 per cent of its night clubs and music venues since 2007.
An examination of international precedents reveals how other cities have revitalised the scene: from Amsterdam’s pioneering Night Mayor, to Paris’ Nuit Blanche 24-hour art festival. In the past year London has also seen the introduction of the night tube, a dedicated Night Czar, and now the Mayor’s new vision for London as a 24-hour city which calls for the promotion all forms of cultural, leisure and retail activity throughout the night. The built environment is central to the generation and preservation of cultural practices and therefore plays a key role in curating the city's cultural night-life.
These events are part of the Night Time Is The Right Time exhibition supported by The Mayor of London.
#NightTimeRightTime
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